Khodorchur: A book about the “Little Rome” in historic Armenia

BELMONT, MASS. – This book is about the steadfast people and beautiful land of Khodorchur (now Sirakonaklar, Turkey) – a cluster of historic Armenian villages referred to as Little Rome in the late 18th century.

Its pages bring to life the customs and traditions of a hardy people who toiled to keep their land and identity against all odds and who were eventually deported and nearly completely annihilated by the Turkish state during World War I.

“In memory of this group of Armenian Catholics, isolated in their mountainous range north of Erzurum, we have only a few photographs and this famous work published by the Mekhitarist fathers – a memorial that is indispensable.” Raymond Kevorkian, historian, author of The Armenian Genocide: a Complete History.

This hushamadean book is a complete translation of the original with enhancements. The original written by Fathers Harutiun Hulunian and Madteos Hajian, was translated by Vatche Ghazarian and edited by Aram Arkun and Victoria Rowe with foreword by Hovann Simonian.

The volume contains 652 pages, 18 pages of plates, new maps, an update of the dialect, and an addendum on travel to the region by a survivor’s son.

Published by Mayreni Publishing, Monterey, CA., it is currently available from NAASR bookstore in Belmont, MA. and on amazon.com.